In the tobacco control world, it’s hard to find a more controversial figure than Derek Yach.
After starting his career fighting both South African tobacco companies over smoking and a white apartheid government for the health of black South Africans, Derek Yach went on to become one of the main architects of the WHO tobacco treaty.
He later received flack for joining PepsiCo at a time in the belief that health could often be better served by working with problem companies instead of against them. While continuing, obviously, to sell Pepsi, the company ditched trans fats, cut some unhealthy lines and invested in new, healthier products.
The most controversial move for this anti-tobacco warrior was accepting a position to set up and run the Foundation for a Smoke Free World (FSFW) – a foundation funded by Philip Morris International, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes.
With Derek now having left the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World and, I hope, able to speak freely about it, I caught up with him to talk about the foundation, its impact on trust in tobacco harm reduction science, opposition to vaping and much more. Here you’ll find a round up of the interview, followed by the transcript for those of you who want the full, fascinating detail.
James Dunworth – Ashtray Blog – 2022-03-17.
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